curlBOX Body Volume IV

Let's talk about the phenomenal box that curlBOX put together for the fourth release of their body series box.  I'm so glad I decided to purchase this one.  I enjoyed every single product...let's cut the small talk and get straight into it! 

Madam CJ Walker Beauty Culture Scent & Shine Coconut Oil: 

Price: $14-26

Accessibility: You can find this product at your local Sephora or purchase it online.

Ingredients: Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides (Coconut Oil), Fragrance (Essential Oil Blend).

Scent: It has a woodsy, vanilla fragrance...you can vaguely smell the coconut.

Claim to Fame: Fast absorbing, lightweight, helps to maintain curl definition, provides a healthy shine. 

Overall Impression: Smells great!  I use coconut for so many things that I'm somewhat over the smell.  I like the woodsy and vanilla notes and that's rare for me to like anything that has a vanilla fragrance.  A little goes a long way so the price isn't to bad since you don't need to use a lot.  It lives up to it's claim to fame 1000%...I used it to unravel my twists and it did not leave my hair feeling weighed down or greasy.  It left my hair shiny and no frizz from unraveling and it was great for nightly retwisting.  Overall it was a great product that I would use again.   

 

Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus w/ Songyi Mushroom Shea Butter Soap- Skin Brightening Face & Body Bar:

Price: $3.99

Accessibility: You may purchase directly from the Shea Moisture website.  You may also purchase Shea Moisture at retailers such as: Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta, Target, Stop & Shop, ShopRite, Sally Beauty Supply, Rite Aid, Meijer, Kroger, Giant, Face Values Discount Health & Beauty, Duane Reade, Drugstore.com, CVS, Christmas Tree Shops; and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  You can also use the store locator on the Shea Moisture site to find a retailer near you if none of the previously listed retailers aren't near you.

Ingredients: Coconut Oil*, Coconut Milk, Papaya Enzymes, Vanilla Beans, Shea Butter*, Cocoa Butter*, Vegetable Glycerin, Songyi Mushroom Extract, Vitamin E, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower, Soaps of Coconut & Palm.

*Certified Organic Ingredient.

Scent: Subtle vanilla with a hint of coconut and a hint of hibiscus.

Claim to Fame: To cleanse, moisturize, and brighten dull skin.  Assists with skin colorations. 

Overall Impression: I was rocking with this soap before I received it in my curlBOX Body box.  I would have to say this may be fifth or sixth bar I've used.  I love the price and that it's fairly easy to find.  Look at the ingredients...you can easily pronounce them all...which means it's not loaded with poor quality ingredients.  It smells great which is another plus because I have definitely used cleansers that smelled horrible in the past.  It lives up to it's claim to fame because it's a great cleanser that does not over strip the skin.  Cleansers I've tried in the past were too aggressive and left my face feeling tight afterwards.  As far assisting with skin discolorations I can't honestly review that part because I do not suffer from hyperpigmentation (dark spots).  However as an esthetician I will say songyi mushroom is a great natural skin brightening ingredient.  The same with the papaya enzymes which is a gentle exfoliant which assists with the brightening process...your skin can't look it's best if you have a build up of dead skin on the surface.   Please remember brightening and lightening are two totally different terms that get mixed up all the time.  Lightening is the process of actually turning off your melanocytes (skin cells that produce pigment)  where as brightening is enhancing the appearance of the skin.  I love this soap and I definitely plan to continue to use it now and in the future.

 

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Facial Wash & Scrub w/ Songyi Mushroom

Price: $9.99

Accessibility: You may purchase directly from the Shea Moisture website. You may also purchase Shea Moisture at retailers such as: Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta, Target, Stop & Shop, ShopRite, Sally Beauty Supply, Rite Aid, Meijer, Kroger, Giant, Face Values Discount Health & Beauty, Duane Reade, Drugstore.com, CVS, Christmas Tree Shops; and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. You can also use the store locator on the Shea Moisture site to find a retailer near you if none of the previously listed retailers aren't near you.

Ingredients: Deionized Water, Shea Butteramidopropyl Betaine (Shea Butter), Sodium Lauroyl Lacylate, Vegetable Glycerin, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Coconut Fatty Acid, Decyl Glucoside (Coconut Oil), Salicylic Acid, Raw Butyrosoermum Parkii (shea Butter)*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Panthenol (pro-Vitamin B-5), Papain (papya) Extract, Jojoba Beads, Bisabolol (Chamomile) Nigella Sativa (Black)Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Essentail Oil Blend (proprietary), Tamarindus Indica(Tamarind)Extract, Moroccan Camomile Sauvage Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar, Cane) Extract, Sugar Maple Extract, Citrus Aurantuim Dulcis (Orange) Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon)Extract, Songyi Mushroom Extract.

Scent: Subtle vanilla with a hint of coconut and a hint of hibiscus.

Claim to Fame: Brighten dull skin while helping to unclog pores.

Overall Impression:  This actually made my second time using the facial wash and scrub.  I purchased my first one when the collection was initially released.  Maybe it's just me but the formula was slightly tweaked but in a good way.  The consistency is less gritty this time around.  Shea Moisture may not have changed a thing about the ingredients so that's just my personal opinion.  I like it overall and would purchase it again....obviously this product was a reup for me with this box.  It's gentle enough to use daily despite being a scrub.  Typically you only need to use scrub weekly but the texture of the exfoliant and the creamy consistency make it great for that daily usage.  The price is great and it's easy to find locally. 

 

 

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Radiance Mud Mask w/ Songyi Mushroom:

 

Price: $14.99

 

Accessibility: You may purchase directly from the Shea Moisture website. You may also purchase Shea Moisture at retailers such as: Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta, Target, Stop & Shop, ShopRite, Sally Beauty Supply, Rite Aid, Meijer, Kroger, Giant, Face Values Discount Health & Beauty, Duane Reade, Drugstore.com, CVS, Christmas Tree Shops; and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. You can also use the store locator on the Shea Moisture site to find a retailer near you if none of the previously listed retailers aren't near you.

 

Ingredients: Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin (Vegetable), Glyceryl Caprylate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea), Allantoin, Panthenol, Jasminum Officinale Butter* (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Flower Extract,Glyceryl Undecylenate, Fragrance (Essential Oil Blend)

 

*Certified Organic Ingredient.

 

Scent: Subtle vanilla with a hint of coconut and a strong hint of hibiscus.

 

Claim to Fame: Absorb impurities and dead skin removal to lift the appearance of dull skin.  To brighten, soften, and deep nourish the skin.

 

Overall Impression: I'm a masking junkie so I'm always on the lookout for the next great mask to add to my arsenal of masks.  I use this weekly and I love how soft it leaves my skin feeling.  You only need to apply a thin layer of the product and then begin the waiting game for it to dry.  Fortunately I have a towel steamer so I use a steamed towel to remove the mask.  If that's not an option for you just use a hand towel or wash cloth to remove the mask.  A little goes a long way so you won't blow through this quickly.  I think $15 is worth it for the amount you receive and I plan to purchase this again whenever I actually do run out.  Treat ya self!

 

The waiting game of waiting for it to dry.

 

 

 

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Radiance Moisturizer w/ Songyi Mushroom

 

Price: $11.99

 

Accessibility: You may purchase directly from the Shea Moisture website. You may also purchase Shea Moisture at retailers such as: Walmart, Walgreens, Ulta, Target, Stop & Shop, ShopRite, Sally Beauty Supply, Rite Aid, Meijer, Kroger, Giant, Face Values Discount Health & Beauty, Duane Reade, Drugstore.com, CVS, Christmas Tree Shops; and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. You can also use the store locator on the Shea Moisture site to find a retailer near you if none of the previously listed retailers aren't near you.

 

Ingredients: Deionized Water, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)* Vegetable Emulsifying Wax, Simmondia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Mangifera Indica, Mango) Seed Oil*, Potassium Lauroyl Wheat Amino Acids, Palm Glycerides, Capryloyl Glycine, Magnolia Gandifloara Bark Extract, Vegetable Glycerin, Glycerlyl Stereate, Stearyl Stearate, Solium Behenoyl Lactylate, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Bisabolol (Chamomile), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Songyi Mushroom Extract, Lecithin, Proprietary Essential Oil Blend, Phenoxyethanol.

 

*Certified Organic Ingredient.

 

Scent: Subtle vanilla with a hint of coconut and a hint of hibiscus.

 

Claim to Fame: Nourishing and delivers multi-level hydration to help with dark spots while brightening and toning the skin.

 

Overall Impression: I've lost count how many jars I've purchased since it hit the shelf.  Absorbs nicely without leaving your skin feeling greasy.  I won't lie...I can be heavy handed with my moisturizer.  I also apply this to my neck and ears so I tend to go through moisturizer faster than you should.  Smells great and you really don't have to use a lot.  The price point is great.  This was the ultimate reup for me.  A winner in my book!

 

 

Ouidad Climate Control® Heat & Humidity Gel

Price: $10-$70

Accessibility: You can purchase directly from the Ouidad website.  You can purchase from other authorized retailers such as Sephora and Ulta.  Please visit the Ouidad site for their locator to find an authorized retailer near you. 

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-28, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Panthenol (Provitamin B5), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Leaf Extract, Wheat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Glycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-25, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum)

Scent: Don't laugh but it reminds me of curl activator.  

Claim to Fame: Prevent frizz, flyaways and unwanted volume.  

Overall Impression:  Due to the amount of hair I have this product isn't cost effective for me.  If I had less hair I might be inclined to make this a summer staple product.  I like the consistency of the product.  It actually reminds of Sebastian Wet.  It absorbs into the hair very well.  I couldn't have planned to review this product at a better time.  It's been raining frequently and extremely humid lately where I live.  My twists held up great. My twistout turned out great as well.  It held up for about five days and that was with me not twisting it up nightly.  I liked the way my hair gradually gained volume that wasn't frizzy over those five days.  I may have to bite the bullet and pick up a small bottle next summer. 

First day of twists.

Several days after initially unraveling of twists.

Evercalm™ Global Protection Day Cream by REN Clean Skincare

Price: $50.00 

Accessibility: You may purchase directly from the REN skincare website.  You may also find local retailers closest to you by going to the about us tab on their site.

Ingredients: Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Myristyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triheptanoin, Oryzanol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Symbiozome Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Linalloliferum (Ho Wood) Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Tocopherol.

 

Scent: A very faint hint of chamomile

 

Claim to Fame: As per the packaging: "Hydrates and replenishes.  Skin feels calmed and soothed.  Protects against free radicals and environmental aggression.  Combats the signs of premature aging.  Trains skin to be less sensitive."

 

**Does not contain: parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrances, synthetic colours, TEA/DEA, glycols, silicones, PEGS**

 

Overall Impression: I enjoyed the consistency of the product itself.  It wasn't too thick or thin...it was perfect.  You can barely smell the chamomile scent despite it being the first ingredient in the product.  The price is a tad pricey than the average moisturizer...however you get what you pay for and the product isn't majority water, chamomile extract is the very first ingredient which is good sign because that's the ingredient that makes up a great deal of the product.  It's fairly easy to find and it's available online.  It lives up to it's claim to fame in one aspect because it definitely hydrates and replenishes the skin.  I can't honesty say my skin felt less sensitive but it definitely felt moisturized.  I also like the fact that it doesn't contain ingredients like mineral and many other undesirable ingredients.  Overall it was a great product that I never heard of but thanks to Ipsy I had am opportunity to try it!

Trust Fund Beauty: Nail Polish

Price: $15.00

Accessibility: You may purchase directly from the Trust Fund Beauty website.  

Ingredients: Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Adipic Acid/ Neopentyl Glycol/ Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Isopropyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/ Acrylates, Copolymer, May Contain: CI 77891, CI 19140, CI 15850, CI 15850, CI 15880, CI 77491,_CI 77499, CI 77510, CI 77163 Polyethylene Terephthalate, Aluminium Powder, Mica, Dibenzoate, Titanium Dioxide C1 77891, Iron Oxides C1 77491, C1 77492, Mica. 

 

*This is a non toxic and "5 free." This means it's free from: toluene, formaldehyde, lead, nickel, phthalates.

Scent: 

Claim to Fame: 

* 100% Vegan & cruelty free

* Paraben free

* GMO free

Overall Impression: I received the shade "elegantly wasted" which was a dark lilac.  It wears nicely and took a little over a week to start chipping away.  Applies smoothly with streaking.  The price is slightly higher than what I usually pay for a bottle of polish...however I do understand "healthier" products do tend to cost a little more that conventional products.  Although I'm not a vegan I do appreciate products that are cruelty free.  I checked their site and I did not see any authorized retailers listed so it looks like purchasing it from them directly is the best bet to ensure you're going to receive authentic product.  It looks great on fingers and toes.   I never heard of this brand until I received a bottle in my monthly Ipsy bag.  I actually would like to try more shades on the future.  

Clean Sweep™ by Wet Brush®

Price: $2.99

Accessibility: You can purchase it directly from the Wet Brush website.  This particular item was purchased at Sally Beauty. 

Claim to Fame: I used this to not only clean my Wet Brush but to also clean my other brushes, combs, and styling clips.  Removes shed hair and product buildup with ease.  I simply presoak my hair tools in hot, soapy water...after a few minutes of soaking I use the clean sweep to effortlessly scrub away and residue and any shed hair I couldn't remove initially.  It gets into those hard the reach places like at the base of the bristles of a brush.  I will definitely purchase another one when the time comes. 

The Wet Brush

Price: $9.99

Accessibility: You can purchase it directly from The Wet Brush website.  You may also purchase it from retailers such as Target, Sally Beauty, and Ulta. 

Claim to Fame: The creators of The Wet Brush came up with the concept of Intelliflex™ bristles.  This is what allows the brush to glide through the hair without much effort to detangle.  Which means you should not be tugging excessively on the hair.  It's safe to use on wet or dry hair; curly or straight hair; thick or fine hair. 

Overall Impression:  I have mixed thoughts on this brush.  Detangling does take minimal effort...its the balls on the ends of the bristles that had a tendency to get caught up in my hair.  I have natural afro textured hair.    I did notice that it seemed to catch more towards the ends of my hair.  I'm half and half on this review.  I would totally like the brush more if the balls were not on the ends of the bristles. Also it's time to replace the brush when the bristles start shedding.  I may purchase another in the future.  Check out my review of the Clean Sweep™ by Wet Brush® cleaner tomorrow on the blog.

Gillette Venus Embrace Sensitive Disposable Razor

 

Price: $8.99-$12.75 MSRP

 

Accessibility: Disposable razors are relatively easy to find.  Supercenters, grocery stores, drug stores, and of course you can purchase them directly from the Gillette Venus website.

 

Claim to Fame: Provides a closer shave without irritation.

 

Overall Impression: I received this razor complimentary via Influenster for reviewing purposes.  I'm not extremely hairy so I don't require five blades to get a close shave.  The shave was too close for my skin and I experienced razor burn despite the fact this razor is marketed for sensitive skin.  I've used other Gillette products in the past and did not experience any issues.  Now for those who know I'm a esthetician who is pro wax is thinking why don't I just wax my legs.  Well I would but I'm contraindicated for waxing my legs due to eczema.  All in all I would say this razor lives up to it's claim to fame when it comes to providing a close shave.  Unfortunately it was just too much for my skin.  I want to thank Influenster and Gillette for providing me the opportunity to review this product.